Players in the private sector are appealing to the Joyce Banda administration to implement flexible policies that would protect people’s jobs and companies from closing down.

This follows fears that thousands of people may lose jobs following a directive from the OPC that ministries and government departments should not procure stationary and office equipment from private traders other than from central government stores.

This directive is among some of the government’s cost cutting measures amid the current economic situation.

According to the Chairman of the National Association of Suppliers of Stationary and Office Equipment Baxter Kitta, the directive has been made in bad faith, saying it has already started killing their businesses.

“We are affected very much because we have lost business opportunities y because government provide almost 90 percent of our total market” said Kitta.

“When we are barred from doing business with government then we are rendered destitute, and a lot of people will suffer” he added.

There was no immediate comment from the authorities on the matter.